combination of “TiCl2(cat)” and Zn (cat=catecholate) facilitates the homolytic cleavage of “non-activated” alcohol C−O bonds. All aliphatic primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols serve as good substrates. This method was applied to radical conjugate addition reactions successfully, and mechanistic studies indicate that alkyl chlorides are not intermediates. The active species is a 1 : 2 complex of alkoxide